JUNE 5 — As the 28th SEA Games gets underway in Singapore today, Malaysian athletes in search of glory must not lose focus on performance nor do things that could tarnish the country’s name.

Even before the start of the Games, footballer Nazmi Faiz Mansor hogged the limelight for all the wrong reasons — for spitting on a Timor Leste player in Malaysia’s opening 1-0 victory last Saturday.

Nazmi should have been sent home at once, even before he was given a six-match suspension on Tuesday.

Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Jaafar and chef de mission Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria were all on the same page when it comes to disciplining athletes who breach the code of conduct: Send them home.

But how about team managers, coaches and national associations? Are they also on the same wavelength?

FA of Malaysia deputy president and team manager of the Games football team, Datuk Afandi Hamzah, was not in favour of sending Nazmi back after the player was red-carded. Instead he asked him to stay on until the disciplinary board decided his fate.

Maybe, if Afandi gave Nazmi his marching orders for his disgraceful behaviour, the disciplinary board would have considered that punishment enough and suspended the player for fewer matches.

We must also take into consideration that Nazmi is a “serial” offender. He earned his fourth red card with his latest irresponsible action, not to mention let his team down.

Both Tunku Imran and Norza said on Monday that Nazmi should have been sent back immediately after being red-carded. Deputy chef de mission Peter Chee, in charge of integrity and discipline and who was already in Singapore, probably should have taken it upon himself to put Nazmi on the next bus home.

Talking about buses, it will be interesting to see how Nazmi returns to Kuala Lumpur.

The entire games contingent travelled to Singapore by bus. So, logically, it should be the express bus or, at worst, the train for Nazmi.

Neither FAM nor OCM should fly him home because that would be preferential treatment he does not deserve.

It is hoped Nazmi’s case will be the first and last during this edition of the Games and that the 641 athletes, of whom 292 are women, and 268 officials will be at their best behaviour.

As there is no official Games Village, and the athletes and officials will be staying on various hotels in Singapore, and will have lot of freedom. But that luxury should not be abused with any act or offence requiring disciplinary action. If indeed discipline is broken, the person concerned should leave immediately after a quick enquiry. There should be no leniency even if the athlete is a potential gold medalist.

Discipline is a key pillar of sports and if an athlete cannot uphold it, he does not deserve to wear the national jersey.

Our footballers should also stay away from any undesirable party that may influence them into fixing matches, especially after their disastrous 5-1 loss to Vietnam and solitary goal loss yesterday which ruled Malaysia out of the last four.

Whether the Malaysian contingent meets its target of winning 56 per cent of the medals, including the 402 gold medals at stake, in 39 sports will largely depend on the athletes reaching their potential.

The general opinion is that it is a difficult target as Malaysia has already lost several gold medal opportunities as karate and lawn bowls are not included in the Singapore Games programme.

While the bulk of medals are expected to come from diving, rhythmic swimming, men and women’s hockey, archery, bowling and water skiing, much is expected from the development athletes who form about 50 per cent of the contingent.

The SEA Games is a springboard for budding athletes to leave their mark for the better. So it is hoped none of these future athletes get into any kind of disciplinary trouble. 

Now, let the Games begin and let us excel as professionals and do the nation proud.

* TONY MARIADASS is a sports journalist with more than three decades of experience and is passionate about local sports. He can be reached at [email protected]

Twitter: @tmariadass ss